Asshole (game)

Infobox CardGame
title = Asshole
subtitle =
image_link =
image_caption =
alt_names = President, Presidents & Assholes, Schlub, Scum(bag) and others
type = Drinking
players = 3+
num_cards = 52
deck = Anglo-American-French
play = Clockwise
card_rank = Ace (A) - Three (3)
"Note: Two (2) = "wild"
origin =
related = Dai Hin Min
playing_time = 5 minutes/round
random_chance =
skills =
footnotes =

Asshole (also less commonly known as President, Presidents & Assholes, Shlub, Scum(bag) and other names), an Americanized version of Dai Hin Min, is a card game for three or more in which players race to get rid of all of the cards in their hands in order to become "President" in the following round. It is often played as a drinking game. [http://www.webtender.com/handbook/games/asshole.game Asshole rules at Webtender.com] ] [http://www.drinksmixer.com/games/3/ Asshole rules at DrinksMixer.com] ] [http://www.angelfire.com/ca/drinkinggames/ashole.html Asshole rules at Angelfire.com] ] [http://www.drinkinggamerules.com/view_game.php?id=55 Asshole rules at DrinkingGameRules.com] ] There are countless variants of this game, including various "house rules," which must be established before the start of the game to prevent arguments.

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General rules

Gameplay is similar to Dai Hin Min, with the addition of house rules governing drinking. The following are generally-accepted rules:
*A card of rank equal to the number of players in the game (generally 3-6) is a "social", and when played all players must drink. This card may be played on any card or combination of cards. Multiple "socials" can be played at once or consecutively. The following player then plays based on the combination of cards that was played before the "social"
*If a player passes, he or she must drink. Sometimes this is limited so it only applies if anyone else can play before the pile is cleared.
*When a player matches the rank of the previously played card combination (only possible when playing singles, pairs or with wilds), the next player's turn is skipped. A skipped player must drink. For instance, if a 3 is played on top of another 3, the next player is skipped and must drink. If a three is then played by the player after the skipped player, the player after him is skipped and drinks.
*A player who makes a mistake in play is given a one-drink penalty if caught before the next player plays. If the player makes a mistake and is caught after the following play, everyone except the player who caught the mistake drinks. A player may therefore intentionally make a mistake to try and get the table to drink, with the risk of being caught immediately and having to drink.

pecial titles

There may be many titles used by players during the game, and each player is permitted to give drinks indiscriminately to any lower-ranked player. Often, players move seats to sit in the order of their place, so as not to forget the order. There is generally at least a President, Vice President and Asshole.
*President - The winner of the previous round.
*Vice President ("VP") - Second place.
*Vice Asshole - Second to last place. Often called Beer Wench or "Beer Bitch".
*Asshole - Last place in the previous round (may wear beer case on head saying "Asshole").

More or fewer titles may be used, depending on how many players are in the game. Common extra titles include the Secretary one level below VP, Normals, Neutrals or Average Joes in between the high and low named ranks, and Clerk one level above Vice-Ass. The Secretary and Clerk are generally only used with six or more players, and rules regarding card passing or drinks can be changed to accommodate these two positions as desired. A large and/or odd number of players generally calls for having at least one Average Joe, and there can be as many as needed.

In another version of the game, the players are called King, Queen, Jack and Peon, which is cleaner for more conservative settings.

In yet another version of the game, the President (King/Queen) wears a special hat or crown during the round(s) that (s)he is holding the title. The hat or crown is relinquished to the next President when the title changes to a new player in a subsequent round. According to one youth minister of a large metropolitan church in Minnesota, the "crown" was a tea cozy in the shape of a chicken. Wearing of the chicken hat made the president look ridiculous, but the power the President held during his/her reign overshadowed any mocking comments by the Peons.Fact|date=September 2008

Title-based rules

The titles are important in the game because, in addition to establishing rank for card-passing and assigning of drinks, the titles confer additional special powers or responsibilities to the players.

* The President has the power to add rules to the game.
** A Presidential rule stays in effect until one of two things happen, based on house rules: a future Presidential rule repeals or contradicts it, or a new President comes to power.
** Some variants only allow the President to make one rule during each term (hand), require the President to repeal a rule when they add one, or only allow Presidents to make rules after winning a certain number of hands, usually about 3.
* The Vice President usually has no powers other than the advantages of being second to the President in terms of card-passing and giving drinks, however Presidential or house rules often give additional privileges to the VP.
* The Vice Asshole or "Beer Wench" is generally given the task of fetching snacks and drinks for the table, which avoids distracting the Asshole from his or her shuffling and dealing duties and keeps the game moving.
* The Asshole is the "whipping boy" of the game and must take any drink given to him by any one else in the game. The Asshole also shuffles and deals, and clears the discard pile as necessary.
** The Asshole is sometimes allowed to give out drinks while shuffling and dealing, however care must be taken as once the deal is complete, anyone who got a drink from the Asshole may reciprocate.
** Some variants penalize other players who help the Asshole by doing any part of the job, including gathering up cards, clearing the discard pile, shuffling or dealing. The penalty is usually a drink. Also, any players who touch their cards before the Asshole touches his/her own, must drink.

Most often, a person ordered to drink must take the drink themselves. However, some rules allow people above a certain rank (generally normal people or higher, but it can be anyone above the Asshole) to "delegate" the drink to any lower rank. Thus, if the President makes the Vice-President drink, the VP can delegate the drink to a normal person, who can in turn delegate it to the Clerk, Vice-Ass or Asshole. This rule is called "trickle-down" for various political, economic, and practical reasons, and generally results in the Asshole becoming quite drunk. Without "trickle-down", it still generally follows that a person forced to drink will make the Asshole drink as well.

A common house rule, usually instituted to avoid alcohol poisoning, allows the President to veto drinks and/or to force them back on the player giving the order. Without this rule in place, the President (although he can make anyone else drink) generally has little control over drinks handed out at lower levels, which can lead to undesirable abuse of the Asshole. This veto power is also sometimes given to the VP. Other rules limiting abuse of the Asshole include a maximum number of drinks to be given per round, and restricting the power to give drinks to the Secretary and above.

Most of the time, house rules vary. Most people who play Asshole usually respect the rules that are in place at a certain household, even if they differ from their own rules. One example would be the rule created by the President would stay in effect for the entire duration of the game instead of coming to an end with a new President.

In pop culture

* The film "American Pie 2" featured the main characters playing a game of Asshole at a party, including in a deleted scene where they argue over the rules.
* The film "Beerfest" featured the main characters playing a game of Asshole. It resulted in a tomato being eaten in one bite.

ee also

* Dai Hin Min, the non-drinking version of Asshole
* The Great Dalmuti, a commercial variation of Asshole with a non-standard deck

References

External links

* [http://web.archive.org/web/20040602201439/http://www.herassmygod.org/asshole.html Examples of "house rules"]
* [http://www.newspeakdictionary.com/dg-ass.html Alternate rules]